Wednesday 27 , July 2011

summer time special

 hello to you all. 

This month's title refers to an end of the pier talent show that I remember from childhood.  So with that in mind, I have an exercise about the beach for you to try. I have three monologues being performed tonight at the Swan Pub in Kemptown, Brighton and  I also include  a top ten tips about  monologue writing. If you would like to read the monologues I have written just let me know and I will attach a copy   so that you can see how I have or have not applied the tips I am recommending to you.  

I have included some advice on becoming a force of nature in writing, which is based on the the approach of the Option Institute, where I will be volunteering over the summer, and ideas for summer reads. 

Have a fabulous summer.

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The Sea and the Beach

 This is just an exercise to shake up the usual way of describing things. Give yourself five minutes and write down anything you associate with "the sea and the beach". STOP. Now write the letters A-Z down the left hand side of the page. Then copy all the words you have just written in absolutely alphabetical order. If you have 6 "and" then put them all down.  When you have done this, read it aloud. There are most usually some felicitous connections and poetic allusions that you could never have made up but which are nonetheless expressive. 

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The art of the monologue

Thanks to the BBC WRITERSROOM for these ideas.

1. Start late - THE HOOK - grab our attention and entice us as to what led this character to speak

2. Start fast - THE GRAB - simple, quick and get right to the heart of the story

3. Tell a story - THE HEART - why now?

4. Build a character - THE SOUL - what is the character's hopes, dreams and disappointments?

5. Build a world - THE COLOUR -  show how the character sees the world around them

6. Build a rhythm - THE MUSIC - state, then expand, build to a crescendo , think about changes in rhythm and pace

7. Read it aloud - what are the musical stops and starts

8. Rewrite rewrite rewrite. THE FURY 

9. Make every word count - and remember that silence is also powerful

10. Bring it home - THE END - in the very beginning is my end. 

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Books I am reading

 I am spending the summer in Massachussetts, at an amazing place called the Option Institute, as a volunteer and participant.  While there, I  am revisiting books from my teenage years: Of Mice and Men, Catcher in the Rye, To Kill and Mockingbird. I am also reading a book i recommend to script writers called Aristotle in Hollywood, by Ari Hitunen. Let me know any inspiring reads, or the books of your own teenage years.  I'd love to know. 

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Become a force of nature in your writing

 Power comes from clarity of purpose, conviction, daring action, passion and persistence:

What is your purpose in writing your current project? Write it down. 

What beliefs can you adopt to support your purpose?  Purpose without conviction will evaporate.

Nothing brings purpose alive like daring action:  take baby steps to put your purpse and conviction into practice.

Be committed, and passionate : enthusiasm gets you further in terms of learning  and helps you reach further. Try and maintain excitement however you can for your project.

Persistence: a little every day is better than nothing then a huge effort.  Genuis is 99% perspiration.

GO for it! 

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